WASHINGTON, March 25: The US Defence Department on Tuesday identified seven Marines killed in Sunday’s firefight near Nassiriya, raising to 18 the total number of confirmed US casualties in the Iraq war.

The Pentagon named those killed as Sergeant Michael Blitz, 31, of Ventura, California; Lance Corporal David Fribley, 26, of Lee, Florida; Cpl Jose Garibay, 21, of Orange, California; Cpl Jorge Gonzalez, 20, of Los Angeles; Staff Sgt Phillip Jordan, 42, of Brazoria, Texas; 2nd Lt Frederick Pokorney Jr., 31, of Nye, Nevada; and Lance Cpl. Thomas Slocum, of Adams, Colorado.

The final death toll from Sunday’s fighting near Nassiriyah was less than initial estimates by US Army Gen. John Abizaid, who told reporters on Sunday that up to nine service members had been killed in that area.—Reuters